April 19, 2010

Oakville, Ontario – A new pilot initiative for southern Ontario colleges and universities will provide up to $15 million to help small- and medium-sized businesses move promising products, practices and processes from the research and development stage to the marketplace. Speaking at Sheridan College in Oakville, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, launched FedDev Ontario's Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative.

"Our government's Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative will create new jobs and strengthen the economy of southern Ontario," said Minister Goodyear. "By giving businesses greater access to the research capacity of Ontario's colleges and universities, our government is committed to supporting the people, communities and businesses of southern Ontario."

The Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative is designed to create partnerships between smaller enterprises that would like to innovate, and post-secondary institutions that have the applied research capacity to further develop those ideas and help bring them to market.

It will provide funding to eligible academic institutions offering services focused on improving innovation, productivity and commercialization to help individual businesses with pre-commercialization activities. These activities may include: product and process applied research; engineering design; technology development; product testing; certification; and pilot testing as well as proof-of-concept work for a partner business.

The Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative is a direct result of feedback from business leaders, academics and community leaders from across southern Ontario, who suggested FedDev Ontario take a leadership role in addressing the commercialization gap.

"This initiative is an unprecedented recognition by the federal government that colleges and polytechnic institutions can directly advance SME innovation," said Nobina Robinson, CEO, Polytechnics Canada. "It will help to encourage more Ontario companies to commercialize their products, to up their innovation game and to partner with our members to gain time-sensitive and focused R&D support."

"These funds are an investment in Ontario's economy," said Dan Patterson, president of Niagara College and the Applied Research Chair of the Committee of Presidents. "Colleges excel at building partnerships with local business and industry and at turning ideas into practical applications. This is an excellent opportunity to exploit these talents to the benefit of SMEs."

"Ontario's universities enthusiastically welcome the investment in this new initiative that will accelerate commercialization in our province," said Bonnie M. Patterson, President of the Council of Ontario Universities. "Our institutions are one of the key drivers of innovation in Ontario and we are delighted that the government has decided to invest in strengthening our partnerships with local industry that bring new products and services to Ontarians."

Not-for-profit post-secondary institutions, including Aboriginal institutions, are welcome to submit funding applications beginning today.

FedDev Ontario was created as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan to support economic and community development, innovation, and economic diversification, with contributions to communities, businesses and non-profit organizations in southern Ontario. For more information on the Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative, please refer to the backgrounder, visit the FedDev Ontario website at www.feddevontario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.